The End of State Road 9A

[lindab]

The End of State Road 9A...just in time for the End of the Car Culture.

I wonder if the powers that be are still thinking about that Outer Beltway now?  I still say if we want to shed the backwater image, a great forward-thinking way is better & more bikelanes and the commuter rail.  2 very feasible projects that we could get started relatively easily.

Darn right. Gas prices higher, automobile driving lower, FDOT still pushing their 20 year plan. What's wrong with this picture?

[Charles Hunter]

As I understand it, the Outer Beltway won't happen unless they can bring on a private company to operate it as a toll road - no tax money (beyond what has already been spent on picking a route) involved.

[Jason]

My understanding as well.  From what I remember, the Turnpike Authority's name was discussed as an option as well as some European company.

[blizz01]

***Jacksonville's 9A now Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway***

Jacksonville motorists will now be able to drive one for The Gipper.

Thursday, the state officially designates Florida 9A as Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway.

This creates another roadway in Florida bearing the name of the 40th president. You can now take the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, Reagan Avenue in Miami, as well as Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Seminole County and two separate Ronald Reagan parkways, in Hillsborough and Polk counties.

The Times-Union asked about Reagan tributes and his legacy:

Will we now be calling Florida 9A the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway?

Actually, Florida 9A will become part of Interstate 295 next year. Ronald Reagan Highway is a purely honorary designation,  and people aren’t expected to call it Reagan Highway. Almost no one calls the Florida Turnpike the Reagan Turnpike.

Why is Florida 9A getting this honorary designation?

State Rep. Ronald “Doc” Renuart,  R-Ponte Vedra Beach, sponsored legislation during the 2009 legislative session giving Florida 9A this designation. Renuart said the idea came to him from some constituents who said Florida 9A seemed like a good road to honor Reagan because the roadway were first drawn up when Reagan was president.

The Legislature loses the ability to put honorary designations on roads when the federal government takes over a road. By granting the designation now, it will remain in place when 9A becomes I-295.

Why are so many roads being named after Reagan?

The driving force behind naming things after Reagan comes from Americans For Tax Reform, a Washington  conservative advocacy group that supports lower taxes and was founded by Grover Norquist in the 1980s to support Reagan’s tax cuts. In the ’90s the group formed the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project, dedicated to renaming public landmarks after Reagan. Officials with the Reagan Legacy Project said more than 100 landmarks in 28 states and 13 countries have been named after Reagan.

But why Reagan?

Norquist said naming so many thing after Reagan is appropriate because he was primarily responsible for winning the Cold War and establishing the conservative movement. Renuaut said the Reagan Legacy Project was not involved in his efforts with Florida 9A but likes the idea.
How does Reagan compare to other presidents?

Reagan is still behind John F. Kennedy. Norquist estimates that more than 600 roads, schools, bridges and other things have been named after Kennedy.

How much is this costing the taxpayers?

New signs are being installed on Florida 9A. Those signs cost $800 and are the only expense associated with this.

When and where is Thursday’s ceremony?

There will be ceremony at 10:30 a.m. near the interchange of Florida 9A and Philips Highway at the corner of Philips and Greenland Road. Access to parking will be just off Philips south of the Greenland traffic signal. State and local politicians are expected to speak at the event.

Sources: State Rep. Ronald “Doc” Renault, R-Ponte Vedra Beach; Gina Busscher, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation; Grover Norquist, founder and executive director of Americans For Tax Reform.

[copperfiend]

What a joke. I will puke everyday I drive by the signs. Is it possible to name the road after somebody of local interest?

[lindab]

I am not vomiting but it makes me wonder about this naming "honor". I noticed yesterday a short section of road near Roosevelt Blvd at Edgewood named for John Anderson (I think that was the name). Who is he that we named a little tag end of highway for him.  If I were John Anderson or his family, I'm not sure how honored I feel.

[Lunican]

The driving force behind naming things after Reagan comes from Americans For Tax Reform, a Washington  conservative advocacy group that supports lower taxes and was founded by Grover Norquist in the 1980s to support Reagan’s tax cuts.

It's ironic that they honor Reagan by naming a gigantic tax expenditure after him.

The 9a / JTB interchange alone cost $80,513,019.78.

[Lunican]

Interstate 295, Interstate 95 and S.R 9A Interchange: $45,082,577.97

[copperfiend]

Good numbers to put out there. Maybe my puking comment was much but I would much rather see it named after somebody with a larger local impact. Lawton Chiles, Tilly Fowler, Jim King, Bob Hayes. Anybody?

[blizz01]

I just drove by there on my way into the office - they're setting up a small tent for the ceremony - looks like they are using about half a dozen inmates for the labor.

[copperfiend]

Sweet.

[tufsu1]

exactlu Liunican...I thought the same thing...the group favors lower taxes...but names PUBLIC infrastructure and monuments after Reagan

[reednavy]

I just drove by there on my way into the office - they're setting up a small tent for the ceremony - looks like they are using about half a dozen inmates for the labor.

Ha, hope they brought rainboots and ponchos.

[JaxNole]

This has probably been mentioned in another thread, but does anyone know why the 295 West Beltway and 295 East Beltway signs were erected and then taken down?

[Jason]

Renuart said the idea came to him from some constituents who said Florida 9A seemed like a good road to honor Reagan because the roadway were first drawn up when Reagan was president.

That says a lot.  The whole eastern beltway was LONG overdue.